Beachcombing apparatus



T. oBRxEN 2,419,154

BEACH COMBING APPARATUS I Filed Dec. 1o, 194s 2 sheets-sheet 1 April 15,1947.

INVENTOR.

f5/JWM r AWDHNEYs April 15, 1947. r. 1 OBRIEN v BEACH COMBING APPARATUSv Filed Dec. lO, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y Y Fig. 3 represents a PatentedlApr. 15, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEA 2,419,154. BEAoHooMBINGAPrAnATus Thomas L. OBrienQFar Rockaway, N. Y. Applicatin December10,1943,:seria1No .51s,s14 Y k\ 13 Claims.

' This invention relates to a beach combing apparatus and particularlyto a vehicle which may be moved over a sandy area to be cleaned andwhichwill neatly and eiiciently pick up and remove rubbish and litter ofall kinds from such area.

Anv object ofthe invention is to providean apparatus of simpleconstruction whichwill be inexpensive to build, 'operate and maintain.

^ A further object is to provide such an apparatus in which apluralityof combing devices are operated intermittently ini such a waythat all sections of the path over which the apparatus passes arecleaned by at least one of said devices.

Another object is to provide certain improvements in the form,construction, and arrangement of the parts whereby the above named andother objects may -eiectively be a-ttained.

*A practical embodimentv of vthe invention`v is shown in theaccompanying drawings, lin which:v

l Fig. 1 represents a top-plan view of the apparatus, parts being brokenaway;

Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal elevation showing the left side of theapparatus, parts being broken away; Y l i longitudinal vertical sectiontaken along the line III- III of Fig. 1, the combing devices being intheir pick-up position;

Fig. 4 represents a longitudinal vertical section as in Fig. 3, thecombing devices lbeing in their discharge position, the agitatorbeingraised and the baskets opened; and 1 Fig. 5 represents a detailside elevation ofparts of the drive for the rear combing device,thefparts` being in a positioncorresponding to that of the rear` combingdevice in Fig. 4. f Y f Referring to the drawings, theapparatusfcomprises a chassis frame I, generally rectangularlin shape,havingbearings 2, 3-.for the post 4 of la yoke 5 in which=is mounted r'asingle front steering wheel 6. dle, notshown, may be mounted` on thepos-tA 4 sothat the apparatusmay be drawn andfsteered through a singleconnection or throughdiiferent means. 3, v

The chassis frame I is alSoprovide'd-with bearings for the axle 'I onwhichthe driving and trac-V tion wheels 8, 9 are fixed as byvmeans ofkeys, splinesor the like; and bearings Il),Y II for the front and rearcomb axles yI2 and I3 respectively.

(o1. sal-.17)A Y ends ofthearms I6 are preferably provided vwithcounter-Weights I6 for balancing the weight offixed on one end of theaxle an A tiller,.crosstree or towing han- Each combing device comprisesa bar I4 provided y pick-up and discharge positions- The projecting therear combing device the combing devices, either alone or with an averageload.

The driving means for the front combing device includes a, gear segmentII,V which maybe`A f a mutilated gear I8 I2, the teeth on said gear I8being arranged to mesh with the teeth of the gear segment ITI to effectrotation of the axle IZ'through slightly more thant 180, as clearlyvshownfin Figs. i3 and 4, The driving means for includes a gear segmentI9, mounted on' the wheel 9, a mutilated gear 20, a-sprocket 2l fixed ona common hub 22 with the gear 26, a sprocket 23 yxed on one end of theaxle I3, and a drive chain 24 passing over the sprock-V ets 2I and 23.The teeth on the gear 2i) and the gear segment I9 are arranged in thesame manner as the teeth on the parts I8 and I1, so as to effectrotation of the axle I3 through slightlymore than as shown in will beunderstood that the sprockets 2li, 23 and chain 24 permit spacing of therear combing ydevice a sufficient distance behind certain other parts ofthe apparatus for adequate clearance during the swinging of the'device.v

Rotary motion of the combing devices is lim'- ited by the provision oflower stop bars 25, 25 and upper stop bars 2B, 26, supported from theframe I on suitable brackets. The bars 26, 26 are preferably sosupported that they will yield under pressure of the arms I6 as thecombing devices reach their discharge position; this yielding supportresulting from the provision of compressionsprings 26226k on the boltswhich secure the bars 26, 26 to their brackets. A refuse basket 2.1 ismounted inthe frame I adjacent thevbar 26 of the front comb, the basketbeing provided withv doors 28 inits bottom to Y refuse; the basket may,if desired, be shaped to iit over the axlel, so that it4 can be removedfor emptying. A second refuse basket* 23 having doors ,30V ispermanently or removably mounted at the rear of ,the frame bar 26 of therearcomb. Y Y l v .In'order tobring partially buried refuse .tothemounted on the wheel 8, and

surface in a position to be picked up bythe combing devices, thereisprovided an agitator consisting of ya shaft 3| having vfour rows ofteeth 32. The agitator shaft 3| yis mounted adjacentr the free end of aframe 33L the other end of whichv may conveniently be hinged onthe-Wheel axlel 1, and the agitator is rotated by means of a drive chain34 lengaging a sprocket 351,011 the axles]Y Figs. 3, 4 and 5. It

facilitate removal of tl'ie Iv adjacent the uppersrtopv tandemarrangement of the and a sprocket 36 on the shaft 3l the speed ofrotation of the agitator being preferably such that the circumferentialspeed of the teeth 32 is somewhat in excess of the ground speed of thevehicle, so that the teeth Will dig through the sand and throw tothesurface any refuse Which may be partially or slightly buried. Theagitator may be raised out of contact With the ground by the operationof the hand lever 37, connected-t the frame 3,3 by the link 38. In tionthe agitator may desirably be permitted to rest freely on the ground andto rise and fall by its own weight as its teeth encounter solidobstructions, in order that the teeth .may not be broken, but if theground is substantially free its lowered posi-.

4 on which the agitator drive is located, although the arrangement shownis believed to be preferable and has been found practical.

The apparatus has been described with particular reference to its use inremoving refuse from beaches, but it is obviously adaptable, with littleor Yno alteration, to the collecting of small stones or the like fromany reasonably level surface and yto the collecting lofpotatoes or thelike When lying loosely on ornear the surface of the ground. TheVapparatusmay also'be drawn over a submerged surface to gathershell-iish such as crabs, oysters or clams. The use of the term refuseis accordingly'not intended to be refrom such obstructions, the agitatormay be held xedly in its digging position by locking the hand lever 31in the appropriate position. Y

The axles l2 and I3 are provided with drums or sheaves 39, G9,respectively, to which are secured the ends of springs 4l, 42, the otherends of' which are secured at suitable points on the chassis frame l.The springs lll, 42 are Wound on the drums or sheaves 39, 4@ as thecombing devices yare raised, and the tension of said springs assuresprompt return of said devices from their discharge position to theirpick-up position as soon as the gear segments and mutilated gears passout of mesh with the devices in the position shown in'Fig. 4. Strips ofstrong Wire screening or the like i3 may be secured across the teeth ofthe combing devices, leavingA the ends of the teeth exposed forengagement with the sandjto a slight extent and projecting a shortdistance above the bars M, such screening serving to assure efcientcollection andlifting of refuse without objectionable amounts of sand.

In operation the apparatus is intended to be drawn, as by a horse orsmall tractor, although its adaptation for self-propulsion iscontemplated as a desirable possibility in some cases. As the apparatuspasses over a surface to be cleaned the agitator operates continuouslyto bring loosely to the surface any refuse which may be imbedded in thesand, and to stir up and loosen that which is already on the surface.During that part ofV itstravel when the gear segments Il, 'i9 are not inmesh with the gears I8, 20, substantially all of the refuse in the pathof travel will be collected by the front combing device. When the gearsegments and gears come into mesh'both of the combing devices are raisedsimultaneously to discharge the collected refuse into their respectivebaskets; during this interval` 'the front-combing device cannot collectrefuse in the path of the apparatus, which passes over it for a distancesomewhat greater than the projection of the length of the gear segmentson the ground. This kdistance is less than the distancebetvveenl thefront and vrear combing devices, so that the rear combing device isreturned to fits pick-up position at a point Where it Will collect anyrefuse passed over bythe front combing'device 'While the vlatterwasbeing raised. The combing devices thus provides complete coverage of thearea to be cleanednotwithstanding the intermittent operation of saiddevices.

j The several parts are' operatedy from different points in the tractionor driving Wheel assembly in order to distribute the stresses thereonand to facilitate a corresponding distributionof weight; it is possible,however, to drive both combing devices from the Asame side of thevehicle, which may be the same .as ordifferentv from the side strictive.

It will be understood that various changes may be resorted to intheform, construction and arrangement of the several parts, withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do notintend to be limited to the details herein shown and described, exceptas they maybe includedin the claims.

What I claim is:

l. An apparatus of the character described comprising, a chassis frame,Wheels supporting said frame, a plurality of combing devices pivotallymounted-on said frame in tandem relation, means for holding said devicesin pickup position, automatic means for lifting said devicesintermittently from pick-up to discharge position and automatic meansfor returning said devices to pick-up position, said lifting means beingoperatively-c'onnected to said Wheels and said returning means beingoperatively connected to the frame and to the combing devices. v

2. An apparatus according t'oclaim 1 in Which the combing devices arelifted and returned substantiallysimultaneously with each other.

3. An apparatus according to claim l in which the wheels include drivingWheels and in which the means for lifting the combing devices areactuated by rotation of said Wheels. 4. An apparatus according to claim1 in which the returning means includes a spring 5. An apparatusaccording to claiin 1 in vwhichV the wheels include driving Wheels andin` which l the means for lifting one combing device comprises anintermittently operative connection With one of said Wheels and themeans for lifting another combing device comprises an intermittentlyoperative connection with another of said Wheels. 'f

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 in which said intermittentlyoperative connections include gear segments associated with the drivingWheels and mutilated gears associated with thel'combing devices.

7. An apparatus of the character described comprising, a chassis frame,a pair of driving Wheels supporting said frame and Xed on' a commonaxleya front combing device pivotally mounted on an axle in front of theWheel axle, a rear combingdevice pivotally mounted on an axle rin therear of the Wheel axle, said deviesfbeing adapted to swing forward andupward along corresponding paths, and operating means adaptedintermittently to reciprocate said devices about their axles and alongsaid paths.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 in which the operating meanscomprises a gear segment associated with a driving Wheel, and amutilated gear associated With a combing device.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 in which the operatingmeanswcomprises a gear segment associated with eachL driving Wheel; anda mutilated gear operatively connected with each combing device.

10. An apparatus of the character described comprising, a chassis frame,driving Wheels supporting said frame, a plurality of combing devicespivotally mounted at fixed points on said frame in tandem relation, anagitator pivotally mounted in said frame and positioned in front of saidcombing devices, and means operatively connected to the driving wheelsfor operating said agitator and said devices.

11. An apparatus of the character described comprising, a chassis frame,driving Wheels supporting said frame, a plurality of combing de-` vicespivotally mounted at fixed points onl said frame in tandem relation, anagitator pivotally mounted in said frame and positioned in front of saidcombing devices, means operatively connected to the driving Wheels forrotating continuously the agitator and means operatively connected tothe driving Wheels for moving intermittently the combing devices.

12. An apparatus of the character described comprising, a chassis frame,driving Wheels supporting said frame, a plurality of combing devicespivotally mounted on said frame in tandem relation, an agitatorpivotally mounted in said frame and positioned in front of said combingdevices, means driven by the driving Wheels for rotating continuouslythe agitator, an intermittently operative connection with one drivingWheel for operating one combing device and an intermittently operativeconnection with another driving Wheel for operating another lcombingdevice.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 in which said intermittentlyoperative connections include gear segments associated with the drivingWheels and mutilated gears associated with the combing devices.

THOMAS L. OBRIEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,157,931 Eskett Oct. 26, 19151,274,244 .Corey July 30, 1918 1,442,979 Shaw Jan. 23, 1923 2,093,148Hoofnagle Sept. 14, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 128,294German Feb. 17, i90-2 30,783 Australian 1930

